Qorin (2022) - Indonesian Horror Review
Ginanti Rona's 2022 folk-horror Qorin is a harrowing portrayal of a remote Indonesian boarding school, which highlights the sexual vulnerabilities and isolation of the young females within, touching on themes of dark rituals and mass hysteria.
Young Zahra (Zulfa Maharani) is on the cusp of graduation at a Muslim all-girls school. Run by a married couple and one tough nun, mobile phones and other modern privileges are banned - as is (seemingly) contact with the outside world.
Zahra, like many of her peers, is piously devout and religiously (excuse the pun) follows the word of their male teacher and spiritual leader Ustad Jaelani (creepily portrayed by Omar Daniel). Ustad has round the clock access to these impressionable young girls, and is not afraid to abuse this position of trust.
As his undivided attentions to the teenage girls under his care grow darker, so do the strange, sacrilegious rituals he forces them all to undertake.
For seriously sketchy sounding reasons, Ustad is actively trying to get his pupils to use black magic to summon their Doppelgänger Jinns.
These Doppelgänger Jinns are in essence demonic doubles, menacingly shadowing their host body. Murderous results ensue.
With the help of troubled new girl, Yolanda, Zahra and the girls must fight for their lives against not only an army of themselves, but against the vile puppet master Ustad.
While a Doppelgänger Jinn is certainly a unique topic, sadly Qorin's execution of the scares in this is textbook Horror 101.
Considering that the location is a decrepit old school building, surrounded by nothing but spooky as hell forests, there's a distinct lack of atmosphere throughout. The plot just jumps straight in with no build up, and then plods about awkwardly and convolutedly until it finally starts kicking ass towards the end.
The ghostly apparitions are nothing that haven't been seen in every demonic possession movie ever, and the performance of the possessed girls - while they're clearly giving it all they've got - comes across as mundane and amateur.
Maniacal girlish giggles from long black-haired sclera wearing school girls who creakily contort themselves in their nighties? In the words of George Harrison, "it's been done."
Every scare tactic present is predictable and tired. Some modern horrors are able to utilise the classic "J-Horror" scares effectively in fun, new ways, sadly Qorin just misses the mark.
And hokey effects and occasionally dodgy acting aside, the cast are likeable and you find yourself rooting for the girls throughout.
There's been some truly excellent horror coming out of Indonesia these past few years, and while this one isn't on par with the likes of, say, Satan's Slaves, I'm still excited to see what fresh, new takes on a weary genre Indonesian director's can come up with.
Perfect for fans of The Womb and Incantation, Qorin is streaming now on Netflix and is worth a watch once.
★★★✩✩
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